Shadow Boxing
by Green Platypus
Summary: When seemingly indestructible assassins start popping up across the world, the gang must delve into a military conspiracy to find the secret to stopping them. Danger abounds as a mothballed military experiment rears its head again. threatening to throw the world into chaos with the gang in the center of it all. Sequel to "The Ghost in the Machine." Series Finale.
1. Elegy

**Chapter 1: Elegy**

_The world is steal reeling from the attack in Scotland six months ago. The bombing of historic Blake Hall by persons unknown is still under investigation by Interpol. The damage is stated to be catastrophic, with property losses registering in the billions. This is, of course, nothing compared to the lives lost in the attack._

Shaggy was trying his hardest not to cry. He knew no one would fault him for it, but he had to be strong. It was just a matter of respect. "Fred Jones was the best and bravest man I ever knew. He wouldn't stand for me saying that of course. He liked being the everyman. But he wasn't. He was clever, and daring, and the best friend a guy could have."

_Among the dead was famed paranormal investigator and author Fredrick Jones. Jones and longtime partner Daphne Blake had just been married in Blake Hall when the tragedy took place. Sources report that Jones went back into the house to assist in evacuations when the tragedy struck._

Daphne took a deep breath as she exited the airport. She supposed she should have been looking for her ride, but she really could not muster the energy. The sun was far too bright and she shielded her eyes while digging around for her sunglasses. Once they were on they provided some small measure of comfort.

"Daphne" She heard someone call.

She followed the voice to the edge of the parking lot where Danica was leaning against her car. It was odd, seeing the fashion model sans makeup, decked out in jeans and hoodie. Then again, it was just as well that people did not recognize her. After all, Daphne had left Coolsville to avoid the media circus… and the memories.

_While investigators are still searching for leads, some sources claim that the bombing is linked to a similar attack two months previously at the Ostwald Innovations Laboratories in Berlin._ _The prime suspect in that attack, one William McLemore, an American national who had recently escaped from prison is still wanted by both Interpol and the FBI._

"Rogers" Dooley called, shocking Maggie out of her reverie. It was not a boon to her work that every time she closed her eyes she saw the explosion, saw Fred in the fire even though she had no way of knowing what had really happened inside the castle. All she knew was that they had had nothing to bury.

"Yes sir" she said, pushing all of these thoughts to the back of her mind.

Dooley walked up to her desk, threatening to burst from his suit. How could there be fitness requirements for agents but not for this guy? The man with him on the other hand, was a strapping, square jawed red head. "I want you to meet your new partner, Beau Neville. You two are gonna be working some of the escaped convict cases. You good with that?"

"Yes sir" Maggie repeated.

_As always, our hearts go out to the family and friends of those lost. We will continue to have more on the story as it develops._


	2. Regards

**Chapter 2: Regards**

The base was never really quiet. At all times of day there would be something going on to keep the noise level comfortably constant. It had been better back at the old base under the air field. There they had known they were hidden. Since that had been compromised Division 4 had been forced to temporarily inhabit a public base in Rhode Island while a new secret facility was being constructed. Men were always hauled out of one base and into the other as construction continued, so the truck that had driven on site twenty minutes ago for a drop off was not too out of the ordinary. The quiet on the base now was.

General Collins kept his hand over his sidearm as he pressed the intercom button. There was no sense in secrecy if something was wrong he wanted everyone to know it. "Attention Fort Hama, this is General Collins. Somebody get in here and tell me why my base has gone quiet." Collins waited a few seconds and then the radio began to crackle.

"Hi General. If you could just check security camera…" there was a pause during which Collins heard the distinct sound of a woman humming. "Check camera 24b would you."

Collins pulled that feed up on his computer and almost gagged. There was the truck, though it had flames licking up the front side. Scattered around were who he presumed to be the men from the truck, all laying prone on the ground. And standing in the middle of them was a woman, all dressed in skintight black leather with a long knife in each hand. A mask covered the lower half of her face, leaving blue eyes and blond hair visible. She waved at the camera, then holstered the knife in a scabbard in her boot and drew a pistol. There was a flash on the screen and then it died.

The truck was in the east motor pool. So Collins ran, sidearm drawn. The whole way there he hoped to run into someone else, but the base remained silent. As he passed the barracks, he tried a few of the doors. Every room was empty. Gritting his teeth he kept moving, almost to the motor pool now. That was when the noise started up again. It was not regular ambient noise, which had somehow all died out. No, it was the kind of noise that burrows its way into your skull and refuses to leave, making you shake and shiver from your head to the tips of your fingers. It was like two blade being scraped against each other, slowly and deliberately.

The noise grew in volume, which to Collins meant that the maker was getting closer. He slid the safety off of his gun and held it up, ready for whoever came. After a few more corners the woman from the camera came into view, walking at a slow, steady pace with her knives out at her sides.

"Stand down" Collins barked, but the woman kept walking. "Stand down or I will shoot." No response. That had been enough warning as far as he was concerned. He fired and the shot found its mark, catching the woman in the shoulder.

She did not even flinch as the bullet passed through her and into the wall on the opposite side. Collins watched in shock as the wound burned blue before closing itself up. She kept walking. He did not move as she came up to him. By the time he recovered his senses she was too close. She swatted the gun out of his hand as he tried to bring it up again. She dropped one knife back into its scabbard and wrapped her newly empty fingers around Collins' throat.

"What are you?" he wheezed.

"My boss sends his regards" she said.

"What boss?"

She leaned in and whispered in his ear, sending shivers down his spine. The mask twitched as the mouth beneath it gave a satisfied smirk. Then she brought up the remaining knife and Collins was gone.


	3. Breakfast is Ruined

**Chapter 3: Breakfast is Ruined**

Shaggy was really getting tired of being called to secret military bases. Sure the helicopter ride had been fun the first dozen times or so, but getting pulled out of work or a date at odd intervals by the noisiest vehicle imaginable was beginning to wear thin. Scooby fell into step beside him as they walked onto the base. The fact that they had to duck under caution tape was the first clue that this was not going to be a normal visit. Army officers and soldiers were scattered all around. Every one of them seemed to know Shaggy and Scooby's faces and just silently pointed them in the direction they were apparently meant to go.

The directions stopped at the barracks. Standing by the door were two people. One was a burly man in a suit, the other a familiar looking redhead. Shaggy threw an excited glance at Scooby, who returned it. It had been months since they had seen Daphne, but leave it to Division 4 business to get her back. They ran up to greet her, Shaggy preparing for a fraternal hug. Then he stopped himself. It was not Daphne. The hair was too short for one, short and ever so slightly gelled up. The face was different too, pointier and paler. The clincher came when Shaggy and Scooby got close enough to hear the woman's voice.

"Look, I would like to see her too, but at the moment the only people who have any contact with her are saying that she still needs time, so back the hell off."

"Like, hey Shannon" Shaggy said when he finally got up to the others.

Shannon Blake turned to him and gave a weary smile. It really should not have been a surprise. Shannon would be the next logical choice to take over the company while Daphne was mourning. It looked like the job had taken its toll too. Of course that may also have been the trauma of losing her home six months ago.

"Hey Shaggy, Scooby" she nodded at them.

"Shaggy" the man in the suit said, and he was surprised to see that he recognized him too.

"Beau" Shaggy cracked a grin. "What are you doing here man? Maggie said you two were chasing down escaped convicts."

Beau sighed heavily. "We are. Look, this might be a bit disturbing. I hope you haven't had breakfast yet."

"Like we had two breakfasts" Shaggy squeaked.

Beau made a face that just screamed _this ain't gonna be pretty_. He opened the door into the barracks, and it was all Shaggy needed to see to double over and start losing breakfast, second breakfast, midnight snack, and a bit of the dim sum Mads had made for dinner the night before. Beau seemed to decide it was enough and shut the door. Shannon pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and handed it to Shaggy. He wiped his mouth and stood back up, though he was not sure that had been wise. Next to him Scooby was burying his nose in his paw. Shaggy guessed that however bad everything looked, to a dog the smell was probably unbearable.

"Most of the base personnel, including General Collins. He got off lucky, just stabbed. Some of the others were… it's hard to describe but suffice to say that whoever did it had to have been very strong and… well, we suspect a flamethrower might have been involved."

There went lunch from yesterday.

"Who did this? Have you got any idea?" Shannon asked.

"We have leads. Listen, Collins _was _Division 4. Without him it's gone. The reason we called you two here was to let you know that we'll be putting security around all of you. Whoever did this is targeting people related this unit. You three, Daphne, and two computer programmers, are the only civilians who fit that bill. The programmers are in protective custody. So you see why it's so imperative that I get to Daphne."

"I do. I would suggest getting in touch with Interpol though because I don't see her leaving France any time soon."

"Like, I don't want to interrupt, but was there a reason that we had to have the meeting here?"

Beau nodded and walked them around to the other end of the barracks building. There was a separate entrance, mercifully empty. The stopped at what the name on the door indicated to be Collins' office. Once inside, Beau shut and locked the door.

"Okay, do any of you know anything about Project Achilles?"

Shannon and Scooby shook their heads. Shaggy was about to when he had a flash of memory. "Like, Bill. Bill was looking for information on it when he attacked the Ostwald labs last year."

Beau knit his brow. "Okay."

"What's this all about?" Shannon asked.

"All files pertaining to Project Achilles have gone missing. We have no idea what it was, but we think that it was related to the nanotech research that your uncle was working on."

"That was medical research" Shaggy said. "I don't know how killers would benefit from stealing it."

"Well, let us know if you figure anything else out. You three are free to go. Security should be arriving at your home soon. I'll get in touch with Interpol for you Miss Blake, and for your cousin."

He opened the door for them. Shannon and Scooby stepped out, but Shaggy lingered for a moment. "Like, Beau, you think an escaped convict did this don't you? That's why you and Maggie are here."

"I'll keep in touch." Beau said as he shut the door behind them.

After that the three of them practically ran back out into the open air. Once there, Shaggy popped a Scooby Snack into his mouth, passing Scooby one in turn. He offered the bag to Shannon who, at first, treated the gesture as a joke, but then realized that Shaggy was sincere.

"Aren't those dog treats?"

"They're safe for human consumption" Shaggy said after he swallowed.

Shannon shrugged and took one, chewing slowly as she tried to suss out the flavor. By the time she had finished it she nodded her head with a smirk. "That was actually delightful."

"That's what we keep telling everyone" Shaggy said as he started on another one. "So, how have you been?"

"Well, the new penthouse is nice. Most everything from Blake Hall was lost, but I managed to salvage a few bits and pieces, make the new place seem homier."

"And no word from Daphne?"

"She's holed up with Danica and Guy in their country home outside Paris. Danica says she's still in mourning, says say's that there's something else too, but that I need to see it for myself."

"Well, let me know if she's okay. You know we're all worried about her."

"I know" Shannon nodded. "You're her family too. Which makes you my family, so if you ever need anything just let me know."

"Thanks Shannon."


	4. Legal Council

**Chapter 4: Legal Council**

Shannon was halfway up the steps into the jet when she heard someone call out to her. She looked back and down. Running down to tarmac to meet her was a very sharply dressed man, with slick dark hair and a pointed chin. He had a briefcase tucked under one arm and was waving with the other.

"Miss Blake" he said with a hint of an English accent.

"I think you have the wrong flight" she said, turning to enter her plane. Whoever he was he could be dealt with over the phone.

"Miss Blake my name is Jeremiah Creeps. I was Fredrick Jones' estate lawyer."

Shannon continued up the steps. "Then you have the wrong Blake. You want to head to Paris."

"I know" Creeps shouted up the steps. "That's what Danica LeBlake told me when I contacted her about Mister Jones' estate. She said that you would be on your way and if I hurried I should be able to ride with you.

Yes, the sounded like something Danica would say. Offering other peoples' services out not out of malice or laziness but because she really believed that everyone was as accommodating as her. Shannon loved and hated her for it.

"Fine, get on."

Creeps smiled at her and walked up the steps, holding the door open as she stepped inside. He was a gentlemen, she had to give him that. They sat opposite each other at the booth in the cabin and strapped themselves in. The flight attendant closed the doors and the pilot began to taxi down the runway. Creeps laid his briefcase down on the table and began sifting through papers. Shannon let him do that in silence until they were airborne.

"So, Creeps, didn't want to go through the hassle of changing that?"

"Well, I'm a criminal defense lawyer, and I really couldn't pass up the opportunity to see the look on people's faces when I introduce myself." He had very precise way of speaking, enunciating each word.

"Can't be easy to make friends."

"Well, I didn't join the business to make friends."

The waiter came and laid out their food. Shannon had requested it well in advance; Game Hen. For her last minute guest the chef whipped up a lovely soup, which she knew had been thrown together from odds and ends in the kitchen, but turned out magnificent, as was the genius of her private chef.

"If you're a defense lawyer, why did you handle Fredrick's estate?"

"I'm licensed to practice a few types of law. I only got that license shortly before Fredrick's death. He requested me personally. We had an experience together that earned me his trust."

From there on the conversation was mostly casual. Shannon preferred to save the legal talk for when everyone was around. She hated to have things repeated. When the plane touched down at De Gaulle there was already a town car waiting for them. They climbed in that back where Shannon noted that she recognized the driver. She and Danica had personally vetted most of their staff after the attack. Also sitting in the car was Guy, Danica's husband, and French film star. Creeps' jaw almost hit the floor when he saw him sitting there in that red beret he wore in all the publicity shoots.

"You're… you're…"

"Yes he's very famous" Shannon interrupted. "Guy, where're Danica and Daphne, I thought they were meeting us."

The car pulled out and began its drive out of Paris and into the country. There were many lovely ancestral Blake homes, but Danica's was not one of them. It was a country cottage built expressly by her to get away from the limelight.

"Danica is with Daphne at the hospital."

"Good lord what's wrong? I she okay?" A million horrible thoughts flashed through Shannon's mind, each more horrific and outlandish than the last.

"She is fine, in a manner of speaking. We wanted to wait until we could speak with you face to face. It is not the kind of thing, at least with our situation, that you say over the phone."

"And?" Shannon was about ready to strangle him for beating around the bush.

"She… Daphne that is, she is…" His stuttered over every word, this master of the French screen. "Commentaire Dites -vous en anglais… enceinte, uh, pregnant."

"Oh Bollocks" Shannon and Creeps said in unison.

"That was what Danica said" Guy said confusedly. "Is this not a good thing?"

Shannon writhed in her seat. "It is and it isn't. I mean, yes obviously we're thrilled. But, there are certain segments of the family…"

"Particularly the branch in Monaco if I'm not mistaken" Creeps interjected. Shannon gave him a surprised glance. "It was one of the last things Fredrick and I were working on. He knew the Blake family was large and complex and he wanted to make sure that any future children were accounted for."

"They will try to cheat this child out of its inheritance, and that is on top of bloody Lucrèce trying to get me and Daphne ousted from the Blake Foundation board of directors. We are going to have a tough legal time ahead of us."

"So what do we do?" Guy asked.

Shannon thought for a moment. "Tonight we have a nice family dinner and congratulate Daphne on her pregnancy. Tomorrow you," she pointed at Creeps, "will work out whatever you can with Daphne, provided she's up for it. Guy and I will drive down to Chateau LeBlake."

Guy looked confused. "It's been closed for years, structurally unsound."

"Yeah, but we Blakes are always prepared. There are papers in that place that lay out every possible legal trouble that the Clan Blake might face. If there's anything to smooth this out we'll find it there."


	5. The Picture

**Chapter 5: The Picture**

Shaggy picked at his food, a delicious Russian stew that Madelyn had made. Between this and the miso soup two nights ago she seemed to be on some kind of culinary quest to reconnect with her roots. She was doing good too, though to be perfectly honest, Shaggy was pretty sure that he could make it better.

"You okay?" She asked as she got up from the kitchen table to put her bowl into the sink. "I haven't seen you not eat since ever. Heck Scooby is on his third bowl." She patted Scooby on the head. You like it buddy?"

"Rericious."

"He likes my cooking" she smirked. "Do you not like my cooking?"

"No it's great Mads" Shaggy pushed the bowl away, a sight that most thought they would never live to see. "I just got kinda put off my appetite today."

"Yeah, Scooby told me. I mean it was a long explanation, and really hard to understand."

"Rey" Scooby barked indignantly.

"You are" Madelyn responded. "But I've still never seen you shy away from food."

"It's just something Beau said. He mentioned something called Project Achilles. Like, I know I've heard of it, but I could swear I knew more."

Madelyn snapped her fingers and ran off into the living room. That sudden burst of energy shocked Shaggy out of his stupor as he and Scooby listened to Madelyn tearing apart the closet as she often did when looking for something. Once the noise subsided she returned with an old photograph in hand, in faded color and burned at the edges.

"Like, what's that?"

"Project Achilles" she read off the back of the photo. "Healing the heel, and then there's all these names, people who worked on it I guess. I found it in Ostwald's office and then kinda… accidentally pocketed it. Magician's habit." She shrugged and handed the picture to Shaggy.

Shaggy took the picture and immediately a face stuck out to him. "That's my uncle."

"And Ostwald" Madelyn pointed to the picture.

"Ribes" Scooby barked.

"Yeah, that's Phibes in there too." Shaggy squinted at the other faces. "Her," he pointed at the lone female in the group. "I recognize her."

"Yeah," Madelyn nodded. "That's Janet Lawrence, she's a biologist. Velma used to have a huge nerd crush on her."

"Why do I know her?"

"Race raunch" Scooby barked.

Madelyn leaned over to face Scooby. "Race raunch? Was she in a raunchy race?"

Scooby rolled his eyes and mimed his paw going into the air like a rocket.

"Space launch" Shaggy translated. "Like, she was doing the whole alien thing at Cape Canaveral." He looked back at the picture. "All of these guys, Zola, from the arctic, and Jekyll, I know all of these guys…" he paused and pointed at a skinny, dark haired man, "Except him, I don't know him."

"Elias Jorgenson. Big time tech guy from Norway." Shaggy gave Madelyn a disbelieving look. "What?" She said defensively. "You grow up with my sister you learn things."

Shaggy shrugged and turned back to the picture. "If we could talk to one of those guys, we could find out what this whole Achilles thing was." Shaggy suddenly sprang from his chair and began moving to the closet to find his jacket. "Zola is still in the arctic, Lawrence just disappeared after that whole incident, Ostwald is vacationing without his phone, wouldn't want to talk to Phibes even if I could… where's this Jorgenson guy?"

Madelyn gave Scooby a worried look. Usually they only saw Shaggy this manic about food. Together they followed him into the living room. "Last I heard from Velma he was heading to a tech conference in Monaco."

"Like I don't know if we can get to Monaco on short notice… where's Monaco?"

"Europe" Madelyn answered as a matter of habit, then she realized that there were other issues to discuss. She placed a hand on Shaggy's shoulder and turned him to face her. She had not noticed before, but his eyes were red and wet. "Shaggy, honey, why does this matter so much to you?"

"Because…" He swallowed. "One of my best friends in the whole world got killed because of this. We haven't looked into a case in six months, and I just feel like Fred would be disappointed if we just left this hanging."

Madelyn pulled him closer. "First of all, Fred would not be disappointed in you for moving on and living your life. But, if this is that important to you, then I will help you." She kissed him gingerly. "Okay?"

Shaggy nodded, smiling. "Thanks Mads."

"So, we can't get to anyone on that list, except of course the obvious guy."

"What obvious guy?" Shaggy and Scooby said in unison.

"Well, the only guy on that list that's a short boat ride away, Simon Jekyll."

"Ruh, roh."


	6. Going to Prison

**Chapter 6: Going to Prison**

Even in the late evening, and at the very last minute, it was easy for Shaggy and Scooby to get permission to visit Saint Hannah. All they had to do was name drop and the Warden sent a boat out to pick them up from the docks. The waves were choppy, as they always were around the prison, choppy cold water that led up to a shore of sharp rocks had earned the prison the uncreative but descriptive nickname _Alcatraz II_.

The guard who had been sent to pick them up was a friendly man, and quite thrilled to be able to speak to Shaggy and Scooby about their exploits with Mysteries Inc. He also expressed his condolences for Fred, and reminisced about how Fred had saved his life during the riot the year before. Shaggy and Scooby got a little teary eyed after that.

Then, across the waves the prison loomed into view. It was a massive concrete block dotted with windows and surrounded by fences. A huge section had been blown away during the riot, but now it all seemed to be rebuilt. Guards stood in towers sweeping searchlights, and presumably rifles, across the landscape.

By the time they landed at the island it was nearly midnight. Normally the warden did not allow prisoners to have visitors this late, but once again, being members of Mysteries Incorporated had its perks.

They were led into one of those rooms with rows of two phones separated by glass. Shaggy took the seat, with Madelyn and Scooby standing behind him. A guard stood behind them, supervising the exchange. On the other side of the glass two guards escorted the man himself in. Simon Jekyll was shorter than Shaggy remembered, which was rare since Shaggy was a very tall man. His hair, brown at the time of capture, was streaked with grey now. He was calm as the guards sat him down, not Hannibal Lecter, scary calm, just nice friendly neighborhood doctor calm.

He picked up one phone, and Shaggy picked up the other. "Like, Doctor Jekyll, do you…"

"You're one of the boys who caught me" he said matter of factly. "You, the blond, the redhead, the brunette, and the dog."

Behind Shaggy Scooby crouched down a little, trying to stay out of sight. Shaggy gulped and said "yeah, that's true, I'm also the nephew of a man you worked with on something called Project Ach…"

"Don't say it!" Jekyll snapped. "He has agents everywhere."

"Who does?" Shaggy found himself leaning closer to the glass. Madelyn had to pull him away after a disapproving look from the guard behind them.

Jekyll's voice was a whisper now. "He calls himself Mister E."

"Mister E? Okay, and, uh, like, what does he want?"

"Want, he wants the world, the money, the power."

"And how will Proj… this thing you were working on, help him get it?"

"Seven Scientists, all from different backgrounds. Two of the Germans were roboticists, the third studied animals, the Norseman was a geneticist, the two other Americans a biologist and a nanotech engineer…"

"My uncle" Shaggy whispered, more himself than Jekyll, but the man nodded anyway.

"And then me, the chemist. The General wanted us making better men, better soldiers."

"Wait, this project, my uncle's nanotech research, it was all to create, what, super soldiers?"

"Clever boy, just like your uncle, that's why Phibes tried to off him."

Shaggy rewound himself back to what Jekyll had said about a General. "Where you working for General Collins?"

Jekyll put a finger to his lips and made a shushing noise. "Division 4 is a secret."

"Time's up" the guard behind them said.

The two guards behind Jekyll checked their watches. "He's still got a few minutes man."

"Time's up" the guard said again. He drew his sidearm and took aim at the window.

One of the guards on the other side pulled Jekyll down behind the counter and out of the line of fire. The other pulled his own gun and aimed it at the hostile guard. "What the hell man?"

Shaggy, Scooby and Madelyn were huddled under the window, looking up at the madman. Then, before their eyes he began to change. His face started to glow blue and his skin shifted like the squares on a Rubik's Cube. Shaggy had to resist the urge to throw up again. After a few seconds the face of the man looked completely different. In fact, it looked familiar.

"Oakley" Shaggy whispered as he recognized the man who he had helped catch so many years ago.

Oakley felt his face. "Damn, that should have lasted longer." He turned the gun on them. "Sorry, but you're asking too many questions. I would say nothing personal, but let's face it, it's personal."

There was a bang and a flash, but not from Oakley's gun. The guard behind the window fired through the glass and hit Oakley right in the chest. "I told them to invest in bullet proof windows but no the fences were much more important. I'm not sure this makes me right or not."

Oakley stumbled back, the wound glowing the same blue that his face had earlier. After three or so steps he steadied himself, the wound stopped glowing and the bullet dropped out of his chest. He smiled at the room at large and leveled the gun again.

Without warning Scooby pounced and latched his jaws onto Oakley's arm. He swung him around and knocked the gun against the wall. Oakley dropped it and Scooby released, landing next to it and kicking it well away from the madman. Glaring at them, Oakley pulled a small sphere off of his belt. He tossed it at the exterior wall and it exploded, blinding everyone in the room. By the time their vision cleared there was a massive whole in the wall leading to the outside and they could just see the speck of Oakley diving into the churning water.


	7. Chateau LeBlake

**Chapter 7: Chateau LeBlake**

Some people of Blake levels of wealth never drove themselves anywhere. They had people for that. They bought fancy cars and left them in their garages, bought airplanes and had others fly for them. Shannon Blake was not like that. She drove her exotic cars to their limits, flew her planes, and captained her boats. True, she had staff that could do those things for her, but she was firmly of the belief that she would be wasting the opportunities the Blake name had given her if she did not go out into the world and do everything available to her.

This was the long winded answer that she gave Guy when he asked why she had to drive them up to Chateau LaBlake. There was a simpler answer, she wanted to keep the circle of people who knew what they were doing small, but she enjoyed bugging Guy.

The Chateau was all sandy brick with high steepled roofs and sprawling vineyards that had since overgrown. It was one of the least well-kept Blake family holdings, having been declared structurally unsound a number of years ago. There had been no rush to repair it since most everyone in the family had their own estates. Still, in its prime it had been a beauty. Dignitaries from across Europe had stayed there. Peter the Great and his courtiers had once spent a month in its rooms, throwing parties and making merry, leading to a small segment of Blakes descended from Russian nobility.

Old grape vines were crushed under the tires of the beat up truck Shannon and Guy drove up to the estate. She parked by the dried up fountain in the courtyard and locked the doors more out of habit than necessity. Guy unlocked the front doors with the key Danica had given him and held it for her. A fine layer of dust shifted under their feet as they stepped into what was still a stunning entrance hall. Every surface was marble, from the columns to the winding staircases and the mezzanine they led up to. Marble statues on pedestals flanked every door and intricate rugs led down every hallway.

"Remind me again why we only have one lock on this place" Shannon said in awe.

"The people in the village below believe it to be haunted."

Shannon rolled her eyes. "Of course they do. Alright where's the library?"

Guy told her to follow him and they began walking up the stairs, past large stained glass windows depicting members of the Blake family. Every few seconds the house settled and something would creak and echo through the halls. Shannon loved it. It reminded her of Blake Hall.

Three dining rooms, two baths, and a bedroom as large as the entrance hall later they came into the library. Shelves stacked two floors high were crammed with books of all kinds. Some would be history books, others fiction, and there was always a science section. A balcony ran around the length of the room, providing access to the higher shelves. Much like the marble in the front everything here was hand carved wood, still beautiful under the layers of dust.

Shannon put her hands on her hips. "Alright, we need to find family records."

"We should have brought more people maybe?"

"No" she shook her head. "We keep this in the family."

Guy nodded. "It is exciting being part of this family. I will look through the top shelves."

"Bon" Shannon said. "Give a shout if you find anything."

It paid to know other languages, Shannon reflected as she read off the titles. It would also have paid if the family had decided to put labels on the shelves. She was just passing a section on periodicals when Guy, on the balcony right above her, shouted.

"I found it. LeBlake family legal plans."

Excitedly, Shannon ran up to the balcony and barely stopped herself from snatching the brittle book out of Guy's hands. Now with the advantage of an index, the chapter on inheritance was found quickly. It was complex, and Shannon only had some basic training in business law, but it looked like everything could be squared away with a little work and the papers in the book. The branches of the family that would give Daphne trouble about her child and her ability to head the company were old school. To ignore what was in this book would make them all look like massive hypocrites and they were all far too vain for that.

"Alright. We are back in business, now we just get this thing back too…"

There was a noise that was most definitely not the house settling. Shannon closed the book and placed it carefully into her knapsack. Then she put a finger to her lips and nodded her head back towards the door. Growing up in a centuries old castle you learn the difference between the creak of a wall and the footsteps of a person. There was most definitely another person in the building.

She and Guy crept out of the library and back into the hallway. Out of the corner of her eye Shannon spotted a shadow darting into one of the rooms. Behind her Guy picked up a silver candlestick holder and gave it a few practice swings. Together they walked toward the room.

"What exactly do they say the house is haunted by?"

"Nobody can really agree. Many generations of your family have lived here, everyone has a different story."

"Brilliant" Shannon said, though she made it sound like a curse.

They stopped at the side of the doorway. Shannon held up three fingers and began mouthing a countdown. Guy nodded and when they reached three they leaped into the room. There was a man there, though neither could get a good look as he ran at them. Guy tried to whack him with the stick but the man grabbed hold of Guy's forearm and tossed him against the wall. Shannon pulled a can of pepper spray out of her pocket and let it loose in the man's face. He yelled like crazy, but his body didn't flinch.

Now, right in front of him, Shannon could see that this man was massive, well over six feet tall and built like a tank. He had a black balaclava on, with only his eyes visible, red and watering from the pepper spray. The man yanked the knapsack out of Shannon's arms and pushed past her.

She watched in disbelief as he jumped through one of the stained glass windows and landed outside. Before she knew it, the man, running impossibly fast, had disappeared into the overgrown grape fields. The distant sound of an engine starting confirmed that he had made his escape.

"Bollocks."

Guy came up behind her, rubbing the back of his head. "I so much would have preferred the ghost."


	8. Plans of the Father

**Chapter 8: Plans of the Father**

Creeps scanned the chessboard as he waited for Shannon to get off the phone. Nobody was actually playing, but he liked to run games in his head sometimes. It helped him to think. Daphne was asleep in the bedroom of what had been erroneously labeled a country cottage but was large enough to be a small hotel at the least. Danica and Guy were preparing dinner in the kitchen.

Just as Creeps was about to capture the black rook in his head he heard the phone conversation end. Shannon Blake walked into the room, face red with anger. It had been a hard loss, getting the book stolen. The urgent business call that Shannon had received when she returned to the house seemed to have only made things worse.

"Bloody Lucrèce LeBlake, she did this mark my words. You think it's a coincidence that just as we lose the papers she calls to tell me that there are matters of inheritance to discuss. She says that Daphne should start getting more accustomed to her late husband's lifestyle because the Blake lifestyle may not be available to her much longer."

"From what I know I wouldn't put it past her to have planned this" Creeps said as he picked up the black queen and twirled it around in his hands. "But how did she find out about Daphne's child?"

"She'll have had people at the hospital. You know most of the French branch of the family are nice people, but her…" Shannon gritted her teeth and locked her eyes on the chess piece in Creeps' hand. "If I could get my hands on her…"

"Then you would go to prison and she would win."

"She's the one who should be in prison, her and that idiot son of hers." Shannon stood up and as she did her voice rose in volume. "Every Blake makes their money square" she jabbed a finger at herself. "But her, she's a monster, a cold, calculating old b…" Shannon stopped herself and took a moment to reign in her emotions. "She's done more illegal things that I care to count, but every time I try to get it looked into she shoots me down."

"She's on the board of directors of the Blake Foundation then?"

"She's second in power only to Daphne and myself."

Creeps put the queen back down and picked up a rook. "Do you think she still has the book?"

"Definitely. She'll want to keep it just in case anything in it ever applies to her, she'll probably claim that she had people looking for it and they finally found it. But by then it'll be too late. Even if we could square everything away I hate to think what the stress of all this legal trouble would do to Daphne. She's already lost so much. I mean, I know she's tough, but everyone has a breaking point."

"What if I could get you the book back?"

At this Shannon actually cracked an amused grin. "How?"

Creeps placed the rook down next to the queen. "My father had an idea that he worked on in his final days after leaving prison. I would have to change a few details, but it could help us."

"Great" Shannon said. "What is it?"

"It would be better if I didn't tell you."

Shannon sat down across from Creeps and stared at him, taking in every detail of his face. Throughout the entire examination Creeps stayed still, his face blank.

Finally, Shannon said "Fredrick trusted you, so I'll trust you. What do you need from me?"

"Vast quantities of untraceable cash would helpful. We'll call that my standard legal fee."

Shannon bit her lip. "Are you sure you can get the book back?"

"I'm confident." Creeps pushed the rook forward and knocked the queen over. "Very confident."

**Hi, it's the author. I hope you're enjoyed the finale of "The Achilles Trilogy" so far. But if comic books have taught me anything, it's that every good series has a million other series telling you what's happening in the background. Well I don't have time for a million series, but if you want to know the intricate details of Creeps plan, then check out the one shot spin off "Seven Magpies" updating and taking place concurrently with this story. You won't need it to understand the rest of the plot, but it'll help. Well, back to our story, already in progress and thanks for reading.**


	9. Calling the Cops

**Chapter 9: Calling the Cops**

Shaggy, Scooby, and Madelyn had had a long night and they looked it. All three of them were grimy, cold, and generally disheveled, but they knew that time was of the essence. So the minute they got back to the mainland, by which time it was already morning, they made a beeline for Velma's house. It was time to get what was left of the band back together and there was no way they were solving any case, let alone a science case, without Velma.

They got some odd looks from passersby as they exited Shaggy's jeep in front of her house, but that really was the least of their problems. Shaggy took out the spare keys Velma had given him and unlocked the door. He figured that given the circumstances she would understand. The minute the door was open the three of them launched into explanation.

"Like, super soldiers!"

"Crazy shape shifter"

"Raggy's uncle"

"Huh" Marcie said, setting down the oatmeal she had been eating as she stood behind the counter of the kitchenette.

"Like, you're not Velma"

"Very astute observation" Marcie said with a smirk. She turned toward the hallway. "Velma your friends are here" she shouted on the verge of laughter. "She'll just be a minute."

Marcie was proven right as Velma came out of the hallway tying her robe shut. She gave Shaggy, Scooby, and Madelyn an uncomfortable look. "Hi guys, look at you all here in my house at…"

"Seven in the morning" Marcie said as she went back to eating her oatmeal, still smirking.

Velma nodded at her and then looked back at her friends. "Now might be a good time to discuss some new rules for the spare keys I gave you."

Shaggy held up his hands. "Like Velma we don't have time for this. We need to get to the police station and talk to Maggie and Beau. There is some crazy stuff going on okay, and we are in a hurry."

Velma was speechless. Marcie on the other hand was taking everything in stride. "You talk with your friends. I'm just going to find some pants and put them on." She walked out into the hallway and shut the door to the bedroom behind her.

Velma sat down at the counter and waved her friends over. They all sat, Shaggy snacking on the oatmeal that Marcie had left out, his appetite back in force.

"Okay," Velma pulled her robe closed a little tighter. "Start from the beginning."

They recounted the previous night's events from the picture to the attack. Velma had a hard time swallowing the bit about the shapeshifting man, but apparently trusted her sister's eyes more than Shaggy and Scooby. By the end of the story she recognized the urgency of the situation and agreed to go with them to the police station.

"Let me just go get dressed okay?" She said as she stood up.

"Like, Velma, look at us. Looking nice is not a priority right now, just go in your pajamas."

Again Velma looked slightly mortified. "I am going to put this as delicately as possible. I am not wearing pajamas."

"Oh" Shaggy said as he turned red.

Madelyn, on the other hand, cracked a grin and held up her hand to Velma for a fist bump. "Way to go sis," then off of Velma's harsh look, "Inappropriate, noted."

In a few minutes Velma had dressed and they all piled into Shaggy's jeep and headed for the police station. That was where Beau and Maggie had said they would be while they coordinated extra security for the gang. It was a short drive, as Coolsville was a small town, and it was made all the shorter by Shaggy's intimate knowledge of the station and the various routes there. They pulled in and the desk sergeant directed them to the office where the FBI had temporarily set up.

Velma stopped at the door. "Listen, I'm going to go back to the front and call Marcie okay."

"Don't want to run into the ex. I got you sis" Madelyn said, giving her sister a friendly pat on the arm.

Velma nodded and left as the others walked into the office. Maggie and Beau were seated on opposite ends of one desk, munching on take out containers of Chinese food. Both looked up when Shaggy, Scooby, and Madelyn entered.

"Bros, Mads," Maggie greeted, "get in here. What's up?"

For the third time they recounted the night's events. Maggie and Beau must have already seen some weird stuff because they believed it immediately. Madelyn did not let that go when the story was finished.

"Alright, what have you two seen? You're way too calm."

"Noth…" Maggie began, but Madelyn interrupted her.

"Maggie, we've been friends all our lives and you have a terrible poker face. What is it?"

Both agents inhaled deeply.

"The security footage from the attack two nights ago showed an intruder with super human strength and speed… who also shrugged off a bullet wound like it was from a Nerf gun."

"Project Achilles" Shaggy said, "It was super soldier program."

"Yeah, that is a possible theory, but not the most likely."

"Well, just check out Division 4 okay? I guarantee that there's some connection."

"We'll look into it bro" Maggie said, holding to door open. "But in the meantime you all need showers. We'll beef up security at your house though okay?"

Shaggy nodded and the trio left, meeting Velma back by the front desk. She smiled when she saw them, that good old Velma smile that Shaggy and Scooby had not seen in months. The smile that meant she had just found a lead and she was over the moon about it.

"Marcie said that before Ostwald started his company, he did work at a DARPA facility called The Century Institute. She says that all the people from the photo you stole also worked there."

"Well, great, like, where is it?"

"New Jersey"

"That's not a long plane ride" Madelyn said with a smile.

"Not long at all" Velma said, "Marcie is already on her way with the tickets."


	10. Face Off

**Chapter 10: Face Off**

Maggie remembered the old air force base. Shaggy had woken up with nightmares for a week after that case. Although she liked to think she was made of sturdier stuff, she had to admit it was creepy. If anything it was in worse shape now than it had been back then. Collins had probably cultivated that image to mask the secret installation beneath it. The abandonment of that installation certainly had not helped with upkeep.

Beau parked the car in the middle of the runway. It was not like anybody would be taking off. They both knew where the main entrance to Division 4 had been, but there was also a second entrance, accessible by stairs rather than an elevator platform that could break at any second.

"So," Beau said as they started down, flicking their flashlights on. "Madelyn was telling me Velma's got a new boyfriend."

"Really that's what you talk about. You a little jealous?"

"I just… want to know she's being treated right. I know she's had some bad relationships before."

"Well then yes, she's very happy" Maggie smirked.

"What are you smirking for? Do I know the guy or something? What's his name?"

Maggie actually had to stop herself from bursting out in laughter. "Marcie."

Beau tried to stifle his own shock. "Mar-see?"

"Yeah"

"Huh, I could'a sworn Madelyn said Marty when we were talking."

"Well then she was either screwing with you for kicks or you need your ears checked."

Beau was silent for the next flight of stairs, then, "I had no idea she uh… Did you know?"

"I did not, in fact I had to pay her sister ten bucks from a bet we made in middle school."

"You bet ten bucks on that?"

"Well we bet twenty, but under the circumstances…"

Maggie trailed off as they reached the bottom. A few emergency lights were on, but it was minimally helpful. Maggie kept her flashlight out and drew her gun as well, bracing her arm over the flashlight.

"You think someone's here?"

"I think someone had to turn the lights on."

Beau nodded and drew his own gun. The walls along most of the complex were riddled with bullets from the raid that had occurred last year. Ceiling panels were broken or missing and wires hung down like jungle vines.

"When you joined the bureau was this what you had in mind?"

"To be perfectly honest" Maggie said as she turned a corner, gun still raised. "I was kind of picturing some Elliot Ness action, not this X-Files crap."

"Yeah" Beau took a position beside a closed door. Maggie stood on the other side. "You know Elliot Ness wasn't an FBI agent."

Maggie nodded as she kicked the door down. Both agents stormed into the room, guns ready, but all they were greeted with was an empty office and a computer with a bullet hole in it. "I know, my point still stands." Silence. "Beau?" Maggie turned to see her partner gone. She walked back out of the room and into the empty hallway. "Beau" she called out again. "What kind of name is Beau anyway?" She mumbled to herself as she continued down the hallway. "That's not a name it's an adjective."

"What's an adjective?"

Maggie turned and had to stifle a yelp. Beau was right there, adjusting his suit jacket and smiling like an idiot.

"What the hell man? Where did you go?"

"I thought I heard something" he shrugged. Didn't pan out. I think we're wasting our time here."

"I don't know. My brothers are cowards, but they've got a good sense for this kind of thing."

"Look, all I'm saying is..,"

Beau was cut off by the loud sound a clanging sound from down a side corridor. Maggie took off running, gun at the ready. Beau followed a moment later. The sound led to a locked door which Maggie promptly kicked open. Inside there was a man with his back turned, rummaging through a filing cabinet. The man turned when he heard them enter and Maggie raised her gun to face…

"Beau?"

"Maggie get away from him, he's got some kind of mask" The Beau by the filing cabinet shouted.

Maggie took a few steps away from the Beau behind her, putting herself in the middle of the room between them. Everything about them was identical, from the hair to shoes. Each one pulled an identical gun on the other.

"What the hell is that thing?" The Beau behind her said. "Get away from it."

"Maggie that thing locked me in here. It's gotta be the thing you brother was talking about."

"Look, he's just trying to convince you he's the real one, but I know about the shapeshifter at the prison too."

"Yeah, because it's him."

Maggie looked from one to the other. Both of them made convincing arguments and she had not been partnered with him for very long. It was not like she could just ask about some other random experience they had had because they had had none.

"Honey come on" the one behind her said. "Honey it's me."

Well that clinched it. Maggie pivoted towards the Beau behind her and prepared to fire. He scowled and tried to shoot her first but she promptly blasted the gun out of his hands. Disarmed he ran at her but Real Beau intercepted him, slamming him against the wall. They slid to the floor where the brawl continued. Maggie struggled to keep her eyes on the fake, but they were moving very fast. One of them grabbed a lamp and raised it to smash against the other one's head. Maggie gritted her teeth, took aim, and fired. The one with the lamp fell limp, his head trickling blue liquid.

Real Beau stood up and looked down at the copy with equal parts disbelief and disgust. "How did you know that one was the fake?"

"Well," Maggie said as she kneeled by the body. "The first time because he called me honey. You're a gentlemen and you know I'm married so you wouldn't do that. The second time was more of a gamble but I figured you wouldn't smile quite as gleefully when you were about to smash a man's head in."

"Good call partner" Beau smiled.

"What the hell is this stuff?" Maggie said, more to herself than Beau, as she let some of the blue liquid drip into an evidence bag.

"Your brother said that he shrugged off a bullet to the chest at the prison."

"Yeah well head wounds must be tougher to take. Wow he's hot."

Beau averted his eyes. "That is so wrong on so many levels."

"No idiot, I mean his skin is getting warm."

When Beau looked back the whole body was glowing blue. The face had shifted back to what was apparently its natural form, a convict Beau and Maggie recognized as Robert "Actor" Oakley. The body started to get brighter and the room got warmer.

"We should get out of here."

"Oh yeah" Maggie nodded vigorously.

The agents ran from the room just as the body burst into flames. Waves of concussive force carried the fire down the hallway, licking at their heels. Beau and Maggie barely made it back to the stairs which they ran up without looking back. When they were safe back on the airfield there was nothing more than a smoking crater where the underground base had been.

"I told you" Maggie said, coughing dust out of her lungs. "X-Files crap."


	11. The Century Institute

**Chapter 11: The Century Institute**

A job at Ostwald Innovations could really open some doors in the scientific community. Marcie had been able to use her connections to get the gang access to The Century Institute, or at least what was left of it. As it turned out the institute had shut down some years ago, though nobody could say exactly why. What was left was an empty building on the outskirts of Princeton University. The gang took a moment to look it over from the outside.

"Like, uh, kinda small isn't it?"

"This was the center of a cutting edge DARPA facility? Velma said in disbelief.

"Maybe it'll be more impressive inside" Madelyn offered.

It was less impressive inside. Every room was just filled with desks and empty filing cabinets that had been pushed against the walls. Even the offices of the head scientists, which were easily identified as someone had neglected to remove the name plates from the doors, were filled mostly with dust.

"Well this was bust" Velma said, sitting on the desk in Shaggy's uncle's old office.

Shaggy leaned against the filing cabinet. "Like maybe Project Achilles was never even here. I wonder if Maggie and Beau found anything at the Division 4 base."

While the rest of the gang was ready to pack up and leave, Scooby was still sniffing around the room. He had smelled something odd. It was the reason he had led them in here in the first place. It was the same smell he associated with the old Division 4 Base, stale air and metal. He followed his nose to the filing cabinet where Shaggy was leaning and started pawing at it.

"Rlue, Rlue"

"Like. what clue?" Shaggy said as he kneeled down by Scooby. "Hey, wait a minute, he's got something here." He plucked a hair from his head and held it near the space where the cabinet met the wall. "Saw this in a movie once." He let the hair go and it flew into the crack. "Like, there's something back here." Shaggy stood up and started to push the cabinet away. "Someone give me a hand."

Marcie stood up and helped him push. The cabinet slid across the carpet, revealing a small, perfectly square hole in the wall. Shaggy looked around to see if anyone else would step up. When no one did he gave a resigned sigh and stuck his hand in. His fingers closed around a lever and he pulled it. At once a mechanical buzz filled the room. Shaggy, Scooby, and Marcie stepped away from the wall as it receded, revealing a tunnel lit by dim lights.

"My college never had one of those" Marcie said in awe.

"Really?" Madelyn turned on the flashlight app in her phone and led the way inside. "Mine had lots of them.

The tunnel sloped downward, though never too steep that they would lose their footing. It was clearly man made, all metal and tile. It looked just like the hallways at Division 4. When it ended the gang found themselves in a large, circular room. Computer consoles were scattered around the room, and one of them was on. A video file was queued up. Velma walked up to the computer and hit play.

It was a video of the very room they were standing in, swarming with technicians. The seven scientists from the photo were at various workstations with Shaggy's uncle standing in front of the camera.

_"Project Achilles human trial test number one. Lead researcher Doctor Albert Shaggleford." _He turned to Doctor Lawrence. _"Janet, how's our brave test subject?"_

_ "Fast regretting his decision to volunteer" _Jekyll said, stripping his shirt off and settling himself in the chair in the middle of the room.

Doctor Lawrence began setting out vials and syringes. _"You're a brave man Simon."_

_"I still say we should have used a soldier for this." _Collins said.

_"A soldier is already in peak physical condition whereas Doctor Jekyll is severely underweight." _Phibes said as he strapped Jekyll to the chair.

_"Gee, thanks Phineas."_

_ "More than that" _Zola said proudly. _"Simon here has a genius level intellect and an eidetic memory. If anyone is going to be elevated to the Olympian ideal it should be him."_

Ostwald took a clipboard from one of the technicians. _"The computers for controlling the nanobots once they're inside his body are fully calibrated."_

_ "Well then, everyone seems ready. Doctor Jorgenson do you have anything to add." _

The tall, pale figure of Elias Jorgenson looked at the camera stoically. Then he broke into a broad grin. _"Let's make history."_

"_The injections alone do nothing" _Shaggleford said to the camera as Dr. Lawrence began sticking Jekyll with needles in the background. _"But once the nanobots are inside we can control them from the computer console. Animal trials show the ability to use them to heal damaged tissue, increase muscle strength, even adjust the pigmentation and structure of skin. So if the military applications are a bust we can market it as a wrinkle treatment."_

"_Once the nanobots are inside can the computer be used against the subject? Could the bots be commanded to kill?" _Collins asked.

"_In theory" _Phibes smirked. _"We're trying something new with Jekyll today. Once the computers have input their codes into the nanobots, Simon will be rushed to surgery where we will install a control chip in his brain. This will make him the only one capable of adjusting the machines within him."_

"_The bots are ready, prepare to increase muscle strength."_

That was when everything went to hell. First Jekyll started screaming and writhing against his bonds. Jorgenson and Zola rushed over to him and he kicked them away. The leather straps snapped and Jekyll stood up, his eyes and mouth glowing blue. Phibes pulled a gun from one of the soldiers and prepared to fire it but Jekyll ran to him in an impossible flash and crushed the barrel of the gun in his hand. The weapon exploded, mangling Phibes' hand and knocking Jekyll to the floor. As he was trying to get up Ostwald shut down the control console and Jekyll collapsed to the floor.

"Jinkies"

"Zoinks"

"You people make up a lot of words."

"Like, this is nuts."

Velma had pulled a file off of one of the desks and began reading aloud. "Doctor Jekyll was committed to an insane asylum following a mental breakdown believed to have been caused by the nanobots. While this is tragic, it ensures that once the research notes are destroyed, Jekyll's eidetic memory, the only remaining record detailing the intricacies of Project Achilles, will be forever deemed the meaningless ramblings of a madman. And then the last entry here, following Doctor Phibes' attempt at stealing Achilles files and subsequent assault of Doctor Shaggleford he has been declared an enemy of the state and remains a fugitive."

"Yeah" a new voice said. "Fascinating isn't it?"

Marcie's eyes went wide. "No, it can't be."

"Oh but it is sweetie, your little Alice has come back."


	12. The Misses and the Ex

**Chapter 12: The Misses and the Ex**

Alice May was a tall woman with a very Daphne like physique, skinny but strong. Platinum blond hair flowed a bit past her shoulders. She twirled two long knives in her hands. The black, leather jumpsuit and whip coiled at her hip completed the imposing visage. Marcie stared speechless.

"What's the matter sweetie? Did you get caught cheating?"

"You're supposed to be in prison."

"I'm on work release."

Shaggy gulped. "Yeah, like what kind of work?"

"Oh you know," she kept the knives spinning in her fingers as she circled the gang. "Murder, espionage, extortion, and once I got coffee for my boss but I wasn't setting a precedent or anything."

Alice moved just like Jekyll had in the video, seemingly going yards in a single step. She smacked Madelyn across the face with the hilt of her knife. When Shaggy tried to come to her aid she bashed his face against the desk. Both were knocked out cold. For Scooby it seemed she had come prepared with tranquilizers. One dart tossed into his flank and he was out as well. Marcie put herself in between Velma and Alice.

"Don't you dare come near her."

"Oh that's sweet" Alice sheathed her knives. "She's defending the little home wrecker."

"You and I are not a couple anymore Alice."

"But we can be. Bill offered you a job with us last year. Why didn't you take it? It could be you and me again, just like old times."

"The old times are over."

Alice grimaced and turned away. Marcie exhaled with relief but then Alice spun back around and hit her hard in the chest. She flew a good few yards and collided hard with the wall. Velma backed up against the control panel as Alice rounded on her.

"She'll come back to me once you're out of the way." Alice grabbed Velma by the throat and lifted her off the ground. She smiled as Velma choked for air. "Marcie and I have done things you can never do with her. We are meant to be together."

"Then…" Velma choked out. "Then why did she wake up with me this morning, instead of you?" Velma thrust her knee into Alice's stomach. The woman released her and she scrambled away.

Alice took out her whip and began cracking it in the air. "My boss wants you alive" she snarled. "He made no mention of what condition you should be in." She opened her mouth and a plume of flame shot out, missing Velma by inches. "So, will you come with me?"

Velma was on the verge of tears but she tried not to show it. She kept her expression stoney as she nodded and Alice kicked her, knocking her out cold.


	13. An Unexpected Guest

**Chapter 13: An Unexpected Guest**

Beau and Maggie trudged back into the police station, having had to walk most of the way back from the airfield. As it turned out that, empty runway where they parked was right above the spot where Oakley exploded. When they got back the station was abuzz with life. On the drive to the base they had heard something about the bombing of another Blake house in Monaco. Perhaps that was what everyone was excited about.

"It's impossible" the desk sergeant said to one of the detectives.

"What's impossible?" Beau asked as they passed.

"Oh" the sergeant's eyes went wide. "Agents, you have a visitor in your office."

Maggie looked annoyed. "Well who is it?"

"Better you see for yourself?"

What the hell was that supposed to mean? The duo walked into their office and their jaws dropped. Sitting on in Maggie's chair was a disheveled, scraggly bearded, hair cropped, but very much alive Fredrick Jones.

"Hey guys" he said sheepishly. "So, I have some explaining to do."


	14. Shadow Boxing

**Chapter 14: Shadow Boxing**

Shaggy woke up chained to a chair. Madelyn, Scooby, Velma, and Marcie were also chained up next to him. Across from him, to his great surprise, were Fred's lawyer Creeps, and a very pregnant Daphne. Most everyone was waking up just as groggily as he was. The only one in the room who seemed fully alert was also the only one not chained to a chair.

At first all Shaggy could see of him was a dark, three piece suit and a tall, skinny body. The rest was obscured by shadow. When he stepped into the light Shaggy was surprised that he recognized him. He had half expected a mask, not the pale face and swept back hair of Elias Jorgenson.

"You know me, yes?" He asked in a deep, Eastern European accent.

"You worked with my uncle on Project Achilles."

"I did. But now, unconstrained by the morals of my inferiors, I have perfected it."

The lights at the back of the room flicked on to reveal at least thirty people in combat gear, with Alice at the front. Each one had the same glowing blue eyes, the mark of an Achilles subject.

"But why?" Shaggy knew that guys like this loved to talk about their plans, and if he kept him talking long enough maybe Maggie and Beau could figure out where they were and come rescue them. Granted, it was not a perfect plan as not even Shaggy knew where they were, but it was hope.

Jorgenson shrugged. "Money, power, immortality."

"Like, you're starting to sound like Phibes."

For a moment Jorgenson looked confused. Then his face lit up and he chuckled. "My apologies Shaggy, sometimes I forget I'm wearing this silly face. No, Jorgenson was a fool who believed in using his genius to string along inferior people. I broke his neck with my own two hands and left him for dead."

"But, like, that was how Phibes died." Comprehension began to dawn.

"Go ahead Shaggy, say it. After all we quarreled I would like to know that I have made enough of an impression."

"You're Phibes."

He grinned and in that instant Shaggy knew he was the same man who had made his life a living hell for two years. Even with another man's face he smiled that same shark grin.

"Achilles is a wondrous thing. You can practically rewrite the entire body. I took Jorgenson's face and gave him my own, thereby throwing Collins and his dogs off my trail and giving them a nonexistent killer to track while I completed my work. Of course I was not alone. When I made my intentions clear to take out you and your friends there were many people eager to assist me. Now the time has come. My army is complete and…"

"You killed Fred" Daphne said severely.

Creeps looked at her shocked. "Good god you're talking."

Phibes strutted over to Daphne and bent down to look her in the eye. "It was Miss May's idea actually, a brilliant plan I must say. Either you look for his killer, and I, who have never met you, am not a suspect, or you are so broken that you stay out of my way until the time comes for me to finish you. Alas I must say that…"

"What must you say?" A voice rang out. All around the room rifles could be heard clicking. "Were you about to tell her what you did to me?" A man stepped through the shadows, adjusting an orange tie under a white sweater. "Or where you going to let her die thinking she had lost me?"

"Freddy?" Daphne whispered.

"Honey" Fred stepped into the light, a dozen armed FBI agents at his heels. "I'm home."

"You died in Monaco, when the mansion blew up."

"Someone let me out, friends of yours Jeremiah."

Creeps smirked. "I've no idea what you're talking about" he said knowingly.

"It's over Phibes. We've got your two technicians in custody and we've seized all of your holdings. You know Shaggy always said you were like a James Bond villain. I guess you got the plot mandated idiocy to go with it. First rule of being the bad guy, don't let your hostages escape. I'm sorry" Fred smirked. "Did I step on your moment?"


	15. Throwdown

**Chapter 15: Throwdown**

The room quickly devolved into an all-out brawl. Maggie and Beau immediately rushed to the hostages to untie them and rush them from the crossfire. Largely the FBI was doing well considering that they were fighting an army of super soldiers. But they all knew it was a losing battle. They could hold them off, but even if they killed them they would just be creating an army of bombs that would decimate the area.

Fred had a plan though. He had spent six months in Phibes' lab during which he had gained a vague idea of how the Achilles Formula worked. He knew that Phibes would not trust his soldiers to control their own powers. They were puppets and he was the puppeteer. If he could take out Phibes then the others would have their powers deactivated. Of course that was easier said than done.

At present Phibes was making his way towards the rest of the gang with murder in his eye. All of them huddled around the heavily pregnant Daphne. Fred ran for them and as he did he saw Creeps force his way to the front of the protective barricade. He scooped a gun off the floor and aimed leveled it at Phibes in one graceful motion. But Phibes, amped on Achilles Serum, was faster than Creeps. He grabbed his outstretched arms and yanked him forward, slamming a fist into Creeps' gut. Fred watched in horror as Creeps dropped to the ground, the light leaving his eyes.

Phibes stepped over Creeps' body and shoved the others out of the way. He was going for Daphne. Fred ran harder and reached Phibes just as he reached down for Daphne. But even before Fred showed up to rescue her Daphne was springing into action. She kicked at Phibes' legs and threw him off balance. Fred took the opportunity to tackle Phibes into the wall. _That's my girl_, Fred thought.

"You think you can stop this. This is years of planning, decades of research. We will be like gods among men, but you will never live to see that."

"Do you ever shut up?" Fred yelled as he pummeled Phibes.

Before Fred's next hit Phibes caught his fist in midair and deflected it. He shot his hand forward and wrapped his fingers around Fred's throat. "I am going to enjoy crushing the life from your body."

Fred forced his fingers around Phibes' and began prying them away from his throat. "Rule number two of being the bad guy" Fred grunted. "Don't test your super soldier serum on the hero."

Across the room Velma had also worked out what needed to be done to stop Phibes' army. But short of a localized EMP blast to knock out the chip in his brain they were out of luck.

"Give me someone's phone battery" Daphne said.

"Like, what?"

"I can make an EMP generator but I need a few things, give me someone's battery."

"Is she for real?" Marcie asked.

"Always" Velma smiled.

Several tense minutes and the cannibalizing of everyone's personal electronics later they had a fully functional, one shot, EMP emitter. The problem was that they needed to be close to Phibes and he was still locked combat with Fred a gunfight away. The gang watched in amazement as the two of them traded blows, blue light glowing from their bodies.

"Like, I can get it there."

"Shaggy you'll be shot" Madelyn protested.

"Yeah, and If I don't then what? Phibes was my problem first." He leaned over and kissed Madelyn. "You know if we all get out of this we ought'a try one of those weddings. Maybe ours won't blow up."

Madelyn gingerly put her hand to her mouth as Shaggy, Scooby at his heels, started to run across the battlefield. It was a sight to see, the two of them bobbing and weaving as the FBI traded bullets and hits with a super powered army. Whenever Shaggy got in the way of a bullet Scooby would pull him down. By some miracle they made it across, standing not three feet from Phibes and Fred.

"Hey Phibes" Shaggy shouted over the noise of the battle. Phibes turned and stared at him. Shaggy had planned on saying something witty once he had his attention but nothing came. So he skipped that bit and tossed the device to Fred.

Fred caught it and held it up to Phibes' head. Before the other man could react he pressed the button on the top. There was a spark and a flash and then the room got darker. The light died down as the Achilles Soldiers were depowered. Fred looked back at Phibes who was clutching his head in pain.

"My empire" he said wistfully. Phibes' body fell to the floor with a soft thud, and the battle was won."


	16. What Next?

**Chapter 16: What Next?**

Without their powers and their leader Phibes' army was quickly subdued. Maggie had taken particular pleasure in beating the snot out of Alice May when she tried to fight on. Fred explained how he had been trapped in a lower level of Blake Hall when the bomb had detonated, and how when he made his way out Phibes' men were waiting for him. They had taken him and experimented on him, intending to brainwash him into a double agent. But Creeps' team of thieves had seen helped Fred and Phibes' other prisoners escape.

From there he had made his way back to Coolsville and helped Beau and Maggie find Phibes' base based on papers he had stolen during his escape. Once Phibes was gone Fred's powers had shut down, which he was happy with. He wanted no remainders of that part of his life. He just wanted to move forward.

"So" he said to Daphne as they waited for their ride away from Phibes' base. "I know I haven't exactly been around for most of our marriage, but if I could have a second chance I think I'd be a pretty good husband and father." Daphne looked at him like he was an idiot and then pulled him close for a kiss. "One thing" Fred said when they separated for air. "If it's a boy can we name him Jeremiah?"

"Yes" Daphne said, tearing up. "Yes we can Mister Jones."

"Thank you, Misses Jones."

"So what's next guys" Shaggy asked as he and the others approached.

"Well" Fred smiled. "First legally raising me from the dead and then I'd say we have a wedding to plan." Madelyn slipped her hand into Shaggy's and smiled at him.

"Ro castles" Scooby barked.

"Agreed" Madelyn said, patting him on the head.

"Who knows" Daphne looked at Velma and Marcie. "Maybe we'll have two weddings." Both women blushed and Daphne smiled mischievously. "Fine, maybe not immediately."

"So, everyone ready to find whatever's next?"

"With you guys…" Shaggy smiled.

"And you two of course" Velma said to Marcie and Madelyn.

"Ri can't wait."

**The End.**

**Well, I know that was shorter than usual, but I think _Seven Magpies _kind of supplemented it. I don't really know what to say here, the last Dracula Chronicles was really meant to be my farewell. But since I left a hint of ambiguity in that I suppose this one should be more final. You have all been a wonderful audience, supportive, constructive, and just brilliant. You really all are just brilliant. Keep doing what you're doing. I'm going to be leaving the site and fan fiction in general now, but I want all of the readers who I've picked up along the way to know just how much it meant to me that you followed my work. Who knows, maybe some day you'll be looking at a book and thinking "hey, this feels familiar, I wonder if this is old Green Platypus." That's the dream and though this part is over it was an essential step on my way there. So for the last time, this is Green Platypus signing off.**


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